Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Quinoa Stuffing

My cooking club met for our November get-together over the weekend, and it was such a wonderful time, as usual. The wine and the laughter flowed, and we enjoyed a truly delicious meal. This month's theme was Thanksgiving, but not just any Thanksgiving dish; we had to make a new twist on a classic. We had harissa green beans, loaded mashed potato casserole, and salted caramel mascarpone pumpkin cheesecake (OMG)﻿, among other delicious dishes. My contribution was this quinoa stuffing, which was universally enjoyed.

I'm a huge fan of stuffing; in fact, I think it's probably my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. And I have to be honest: This particular stuffing would never replace the traditional, all-bread version of stuffing on my Thanksgiving table. But that doesn't mean it wasn't absolutely delicious. It's prepared just like you'd make a traditional stuffing, but quinoa is added to it before baking. The recipe can easily be adapted to make it vegetarian or even completely vegan. The quinoa gives the stuffing a great texture and a nutritional boost that means you can feel good about eating it. And on a holiday when practically everyone overeats on all kinds of fattening yumminess, feeling good about eating even one aspect of the meal is no small thing!

1 comment:

I'm a Midwestern wife and mom who loves to cook and bake. I learned to cook by watching the Food Network, hovering over the women in my family, and reading an ever-expanding collection of cookbooks. For me, cooking is a form of therapy, a way to reflect on my memories and to make new ones. I'm drawn to quick, easy, and balanced meals that my entire growing family will enjoy. If you have questions or comments or just want to chat, you can e-mail me at cassiecraves[at]yahoo[dot]com.